Horse collar



Nov. 23, 1937. R. Mccu m 2,099,860

- HORSE COLLAR Filed Jan. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PATENT OFFIQE HORSE COLLAR Robert McCubbing, Barrhill, Dalbeattie, Scotland, assignor to The McCubbing Pneumatic Harness Company, Limited, Dalbeattie, Sootland Application January 2, 1936, Serial No. 57,110 in Great Britain January 5, 1935 3 Claims.

This invention relates to horse collars of the type in which rubber padding replaces the usual straw or other perishable padding used in the construction 01": the collar.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of horse collar incorporating rubber padding which is readily attachable to and detachable from the outer shell of the collar.

The invention contemplates a resilient padding unit for the shell of a horse collar, comprising a rigid backing or outer shell Which is adapted to fit into the shell of the collar, rubber padding being fitted to one side of the said backing and a soft pliable jacket'surrounding the padding binds the padding to the backing, the latter being provided with means for detachably securing it to the shell of the collar so that the resilient padding unit is removable from and attachable to the collar as a unit.

The horse collar may have one or more such resilient padding units fitted within the outer shell of the collar.

In applying the invention to a collar in which the outer shell is constructed of hingedly connected sections, each section is provided with a separate padding unit comprising a rigid inner shell conforming in shape with the section to which it is to be attached, rubber padding seated in the inner she-ll, a soft pliable jacket or sheath for binding the padding to the inner shell and means for detachably securing the unit thus formed to the section of the outer shell.

The inner shell may be of metal detachably bolted to the outer shell by bolts or studs on the inner shell passing through the jacket and outer shell and having nuts on said bolts or studs for securing the two shells together.

The sheath or jacket may be of soft cloth, baize, felt, rubber, soft leather or other suitable soft material, or that part of the sheath or jacket which comes in contact with the animal may have a facing of soft cloth, baize, rubber, felt, soft leather or any other suitable soft material secured thereto.

The rubber padding may consist of inflatable rubber tubing or cushions or pads of resilient rubber such as crepe rubber or sponge rubber.

If the horse collar is not constructed to open, it may comprise an outer shell of the usual ovate shape and curved cross-section, a rigid inner shell likewise of ovate shape and curved crosssection to conform to and fit into the outer shell, rubber padding seated in the inner shell, a soft pliable jacket or sheath for detachably binding the padding to the inner shell, so that the inner shell, padding and jacket form a unit in themselves, and means for detachably securing the unit thus formed to the outer shell. The padding preferably consists of a U-shaped inflatable rubber tube having its ends brought together at the narrower extremity of the ovate formation of the inner shell, the rubber tube being encircled at the broader lower extremity of the ovate formation of the inner shell by a tunnel forming part of the inner shell.

The invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings whereon Fig. 1 is a view of the back of a collar.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the collar.

Fig. 3 is a view of the inner sheath, inflatable tube and part of the covering therefor removed from the shell and viewed in the opposite direction to Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view of the inflatable tube.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the collar on the line 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 2 drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the tubular part of the metal sheath.

Fig. 7 is a view of the back of a collar formed of hingedly connected sections, the pad for the left-hand section having been removed.

Fig. 8 is a part full and part sectional view of one of the pads shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the front of the collar shown in Fig. 7.

The collar illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 comprises an outer shell l3 of leather or any other suitably stifiened material formed to the usual ovate shape and hollowed out in the usual manner. Inside the shell l3 there may be secured a flap l2 of leather or other suitable pliable material, secured along its inner edge I2a to the outer shell l3. This flap is shaped ,to provide an overhung portion 121) at the upper part of the collar and the flap may be discontinued around the lower part of the collar. Adapted to be detachably fitted within the structure composed of the outer shell 53 and the flap I2 is a resilient pad of substantially ovate shape. This pad is composed of an inner inflatable flexible tube l5 bound in an inflated condition to a metal or other rigid frame M by means of an outer flexible cover l8. The ovate frame M is preferably tunnel-shaped at its lowermost part 22 (as shown in Figs. 3 and 6) and is of curved transverse section over the remainder, narrowing in width towards the top of the collar. The inflatable tube is passed through the tunnel 22 and is preferably of U-shape, as shown in Fig. 4, the two ends of the tube being formed into tabs l6 having eyelets I! or the like whereby the tabs l6 may be drawn together by a cord or lace 26 after the tube I5 has been passed through the tubular portion 22 of the frame It. The tube is adapted to be inflated, for which purpose it is provided with the usual inflator connection and valve 25. The tube l5 and frame M are then bound together within the outer flexible cover I8 which is provided, for this purpose, along each edge with eyelets ISWhereby the edges of the cover may be laced together over the frame I4 (as shown in Fig. 3) to bind the frame M to the tube l5 and to enclose both within the outer cover I8. This outer cover l8 may (as shown in Fig. 5) be composed of an inner Waterproof layer 2], an intermediate layer of felt or other soft material and an outer layer l8a of soft cloth or other fabric. The inflator connection is preferably placed in such a position on the tube l5 that it can be passed through an opening in' the outer cover It so as to be accessible for inflating or deflating the tube it without removing the outer cover l8 from the tube I5 and frame l4.

When the tube l5 and and the frame i l have been bound together by the outer cover I8 as hereinbefore described and as shown at the left-hand i be replaced by an ovate cushion or pad of crepe' half of Fig. 3, ,theyare secured within the structure composed of the outer shell I3 and its inner flap l2 and for this purpose studs 24 projecting from the frame l4 through the outer cover I 8 are passed through corresponding holes in the outer shell l3 and are secured thereto by means of nuts 23 threaded upon the studs 24. In assembly, the upper end ofjthe resilient pad formed by the frame M, tube I5 and outer cover I8 is pushed in under the overhung portion 122) or flap l2 as shown in Fig. 1. i

It will be seen that ,the resilient and pneumatic pad constituted by the tube 15 enclosed in the outer cover l8 replaces the usual straw pad. of the collar and can be inflated to any desired pressure. It will also be seen that the resilient and pneumatic pad is shaped to fit the collar and the neck of the animal, and will take the strain of the load between the animal and its harness when pullin and will act as a shock absorber, and by its soft. ness and yielding power it will prevent any jarring or vibration and will also prevent any injury to the skin of the animal.

Obviously the U-shaped tube l5 might be replaced by an endless inflatable tube or it might rubber or sponge rubber.

The frame [4 instead of being of metal may be leather, rubber, cork, light wood or any combination thereof or of any suitable fabric.

The tube l5 may be of rubber, rubber cloth or other airproof fabric with or without a waterproof jacket of leather, clothor Waterproof fabric.

If the outer shell l3 of the collar is made of metal, the hooks, eyes, hames and other similar parts of the collar may be integral or unitary with the metal collar or they may be attached to it by means of straps, bolts, rivets or other attachments.

The collar as illustrated in-Figs. 7-9 comprises an outer shell of the usual ovate shape and composed of two sections 50, 5i hingedly connected together at the top by a hinge 52 and adapted to be detachably fastened'together at the bottom by a spring latch or catch 53. Each section is provided with the usual rim, roll or forwale 54 along its inner edge and the outer edge is formed with a bead or flange55 to provide a smooth rounded edge. 'Adopted to be detachably fitted within each section of the outer shell is a resilient pad, each pad conforming in shape to the shape of sectionof the outer shell. The pads are each composed of an inner inflatable flexible tube 56 enclosed together with 2.

terial which may form an inner cover for the frame 51 and flexible tube 56 or it may be attached like a lining to the outer flexible cover 53.

The tube 56 is adapted to be inflated, for which purpose it provided with the usual infiater connection and valve 62 which is preferably placed I in such a position on the tube 56 that it can be passed through an opening in the outer cover 56 and waterproof lining 6| so as to be accessible for inflating or deflating the tube 56 without removing the tube from the outer cover 58. A small pocket 63 may be provided on the outer cover 58 to receive the outer end of the inflator connection and valve 62 after the tube 56 has been inflated.

The outer cover 58 and waterproof lining 6| is or are made in the form of a bag or bags in the seam of which an opening is left for the insertion of the frame 51 and tube 56. After the frame l and tube 56 have been inserted with the inflator connection and valve 62 projecting through the opening provided in the outer covers therefor, the opening in the seam of the bag or bags is sealed and the pad is ready for securing to the outer shell of the collar. For this purpose studs 64 projecting from the frame 51 through the outer cover 58 and lining 6| are passed through corresponding holes 65 in the two sections 50, 5! of the outer shell and are secured thereto by means of nuts 66 threaded upon the studs 64.

I claim:

1. A horse collar comprising an outer collara shaped shell, a rigid inner shell fitting into and conforming in general shape to the shape of the outer shell, an inflatable pad backed by the inner shell, a soft pliable textile fabric jacket enclosing the pad and inner shell, lacing meansfor lacing the edges of the jacket together to detachably bind the pad to the inner shell, and means attached to the inner shell and protruding through the lacing means for detachably securing the inner shell to the outer shell.

2. A horse collar comprising a stiff outer ovateshaped shell of curved form in cross-section, a rigid metallic ovate-shaped inner shell conforming to and fitting into the outer shell and of curved cross-section and having its broader lower extremity formed with a tunnel portion, a U-shaped inflatable padseated within the inner shell, passed through the tunnel portion and having its ends brought together at the narrower extremity of the ovate formation of the inner shell, a jacket bound around the pad, inner shell and said tunnel portion to bind the pad to the inner shell, bolts protruding from the inner shell through the jacket and through holes in the outer shell, and nuts on said bolts for securing the shells together.

3. A horse collar as specified in claim 2 in which the inflatable pad comprises 'a U-shaped inflatable rubber tube having means for drawing its ends together. 7

ROBERT MCCUBBING. 

